Trainer John Thompson is keen to test Jiayuguan at ‘two miles’ and will run the French import in the Listed $100,000 Variety Queensland Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Jockey Damian Browne, above, will ride Jiayuguan in the Queensland Cup at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Jiayuguan is also an acceptor for the Listed $160,000 McKimms Real Estate Grafton Cup (2350m) at Grafton on Thursday but Thompson will take on board the advice of jockey Glyn Schofield who has been riding the mare trackwork.
“Glyn (Schofield) rode her work last week and said she was a dead set two miler,” Thompson told Racing Queensland News.
“I was going to run her in the Grafton Cup until I came across the Queensland Cup in the calendar.
“When I saw how light the nominations were I decided she’d be better off running in the Queensland Cup.”
Jiayuguan had one win in France at 1950m before joining the Thompson stable at Randwick and has since won three times of 2400m, but is yet to run over 3200m.
The Teofilo mare has had four runs this campaign with a last start fourth to Tucanchoo in the Listed $100,000 ATC Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on July 2.
“She just hasn’t had the opportunity or wasn’t around at the time to have a chance at a 3200-metre race,” Thompson said.
“She looks to be right in this race and her only worry looks to be Chris Waller’s Murphy’s Delight.
“The further she goes the more ground she just eats up.
“In Sydney, she’s been suffering from small fields where they’ve just walked up front and sprinted home.
“Hopefully in the Queensland Cup, there’ll be a bit of speed up front.”
Damian Browne takes the ride Jiayuguan who has barrier five in the ten horse Queensland Cup.
A good staying performance by Jiayuguan in the Queensland Cup could see the rising six year old mare being nominated for the Group 1 $3m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield and the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
“This will give me a really good guide. Glyn reckons she’ll run two miles and if she does I’ll nominate her for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups,” Thompson said.
The Chirs Waller trained Murphy’s Delight is overdue for a win after being placed at his last two starts.
The six year old was runner up to stablemate Opinion in the $100,000 Strayers Cup (3200m) at Randwick on June 11 followed by a third in a 2600m BenchMark 78 Handicap at Randwick on June 25.
Murphy’s Delight has drawn barrier two with Jim Byrne in the saddle.
The Dale Healey trained Instrumentalist will carry the top weight of 59kg in the Queensland Cup and has drawn barrier eight with leading apprentice Jimmy Orman to ride.
Instrumentalist has been prepared for the Queensland Cup with a third to Maurus in the Listed $175,000 Channel 7 Ipswich Cup (2150m) at Ipswich on June 18 followed by a fourth to Amexed in the Listed $175,000 Cellar Maintenance Australia Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast on July 2.
